


Unexpected Conversations

by Jen425



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Th Classic “trapped on an alien planet” trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-12 17:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21480298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/pseuds/Jen425
Summary: In which being alone together inevitably leads to conversation. And, perhaps, to more
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 9
Kudos: 104
Collections: Star Wars Rare Pairs Exchange 2019





	Unexpected Conversations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lilyconrad](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyconrad/gifts).

> I have decided that I never want to write Cody again.
> 
> I hope you like this!

“Well this is just great,” Skywalker groans, throwing a hydrospanner across the ship in frustration. “I kept us from most of the damage, but our engine and communications are completely fried!”

_ …Most _ of the damage. Cody honestly thinks that’s a good summary of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker.

“So we’re trapped on Kylar III?” He asks. Skywalker nods.

“Unless there’s a full backup power source in the cargo bay,” he says. “Which, trust me, I know the GAR’s regulations enough to say that there isn’t, and it’ll take me time to get anything back online enough for us to get this ship running - longer to get help.”

So he’s stuck on an uninhabited world with no one but Skywalker.

…great.

“Any good news?” Cody asks before he can bite the snark from his tongue. Skywalker, however, just laughs.

“Actually, yes,” he says. “We do  _ have _ the supplies to get off this planet. It’ll just… take two weeks.”

…oh.

Even better.

  
  
  


Surprisingly, Cody doesn’t find Skywalker’s constant presence particularly frustrating. Yes, the Jedi is generally a reckless fighter whose plans never seem to make sense to anyone who isn’t either a Skywalker or a Vod In 501st Blue, but he’s not bad company.

It might help that he’s too focused to do anything actually annoying.

Or perhaps it was the fact that Cody’s problems with Skywalker didn’t stem from his personability.

“So how are my pilots?” Skywalker asks, obviously trying to make some conversation, or maybe to push for something he already knows. The motivation question leaves Cody’s not sure if he appreciates it or not, yet. “There wasn’t time to really say hello before the fight.”

…so he saw.

Skywalker’s former fighter squad, from when he was still a Commander, had not been transferred over to his new battalion alongside his company. And… most of them had perished in the now-infamous Battle of Ool Tor. With a Skywalker-level crazy plan that had worked, even if it killed them.

Cody tells the General as such. Skywalker freezes for a long moment… and then laughs, darkly.

“Of course it was them,” the General mutters. “That was  _ our _ plan.”

“Sir?”

“Please leave, Commander,” Skywalker says, voice tight. “You probably don’t want to be in here until tomorrow.”

(Cody pretends he doesn’t hear Skywalker scream of rage and pain. But he doesn’t forget that another of Skywalker’s plans lead to his brothers’ deaths, either.)

  
  
  


Here’s the thing… Cody  _ is _ General Kenobi’s Commander.

“Skywalker,” he says, about a week after they’ve landed. Skywalker at least has a working map and clock available, now. “You should take a break, sir.”

Skywalker looks up, face oddly devoid of exhaustion despite having not eaten or slept since before the plan that had landed them here was instigated.

“Why?” He asks. “It’s only been… five days?”

Cody resists the urge to roll his eyes and he thinks of how a little thing like Force Exhaustion exists and causes wasted time and resources…

“You should take a break, sir,” he repeats, out loud. Skywalker blinks, as if surprised, before laughing and walking over to Cody and the small engine room’s ladder. He gets… very close, with seemingly no awareness of it.

“Are you worried about Force Exhaustion?” He asks. “Because that… isn’t a problem for me, not nearly as much.” He cocks his head. “But as much as I love starships, I need a break. How much have you explored the surrounding area?”

Now it’s Cody’s turn to blink.

“Enough to ensure our safety,” he says. “Sir.”

Skywalker smiles, lighter than his normal reckless grin Cody’s overseen in so many battles.

“Good enough for me,” he says.

  
  
  


“You couldn’t have mentioned the draig lookalikes?” Skywalker asks, as he cuts the head off the last of the small dragon-like creatures still alive.

“I didn’t know, sir,” Cody says, honestly. Skywalker sighs.

“No, I guess not,” he says. “Are you okay?”

Cody nods, sharply, glad he’d had his blaster, if not his armor, on him.

“Yes, sir,” he says.

Skywalker nods, back, slightly less curt.

“Good,” he says. “I prefer it when I’m the only one getting hurt in my more reckless plans.”

…what?

  
  
  


Cody somehow finds himself back in the engine room with Skywalker, the next day. The General nods at him, once, and gets back to putting everything together.

Which is why he’s surprised when Anakin asks a question.

“I’m sorry?”

“Any burning questions you want to ask me?” Skywalker asks again, pausing in his work to look at Cody - not exactly curious and not exactly angry, but certainly with threads of the two worked into his usual exaggerated surety. “I’m not stupid - you’ve been looking at me like I’ve transformed into a four-armed wookiee since you came in here.”

That’s because of what he’d said yesterday, but Cody sure as hell isn’t going to tell the General that!

Still… he has questions. And Skywalker honestly looks like he wants answers.

“You know your plans are reckless?” He asks. Skywalker shrugs.

“Some,” he says. “Others are things we’ve drilled. The… the Ool Tor plan… we ran that one many times, executed it twice - now thrice.”

“How did I not know about this?” Cody asks. Skywalker laughs.

“You aren’t as subtle as you think you are,” he says. “We practiced stuff like that in secret, and I always took the brunt of the fire.”

“You could survive it,” Cody points out. Skywalker just shrugs again, turning back to the engine.

“Maybe,” he says. “I am good at landing.”

…Cody  _ could  _ argue that point.

He doesn’t.

“And besides,” Skywalker says. “I don’t want the Jedi to know how much I care about my men, either.”

  
  
  


A few hours later, Skywalker decides to continue the conversation, this time on the ramp of the ship, looking out at the sun’s set and the four moons’ rises.

“Do you think I’m a bad person for leading your brothers?” He asks. “I have access to more than you, and I lead you, and you’re all—”

He cuts himself off.

“I’m sorry,” he continues. “Stupid question. Don’t… do  _ not _ feel obligated to answer.”

And Cody… honestly thinks about it. About what Skywalker’s choked off word most likely is. About how reckless Skywalker’s plans are. About how that last part is mostly illusion.

And he also thinks about how Skywalker didn’t deny  _ some _ of his plans their recklessness. Or how some of his bravado is very real. And all the other parts of of Anakin Skywalker that Cody has complaints about.

“You’re… human,” he says, eventually. “You’re reckless and self assured, careful of the wrong things. But… you care, and that’s more than most.”

“…Oh,” Skywalker says, turning to him with blinking, slightly-confused eyes. “Thank you.”

Cody couldn’t tell, later, who instigated the kiss.

He definitely doesn’t quite know how things got further. He just remembers that at some point they both pull away and come to their senses.

And nothing more is said of it.

  
  
  


It’s two days more, of course, before Skywalker finishes. Ahead of his planned schedule, which is honestly impressive.

But it’s not exactly a secret that Skywalker is skilled.

And they go back to the war.

They don’t really talk about what happened, even after they get back.

Perhaps especially then.

They don’t speak at all, though, not outside of what’s absolutely necessary for strategy meetings. Not for months, until after the 501st’s leadership proved themselves very good at adopting Shinies.

(Yes, he’s counting Tano as a Shiny, but what else is a brand new Padawan Commander?)

It’s not really anything different, and Cody tries to put it behind him.

Skywalker isn’t his type, much less a practical option to fall for. And even if Cody  _ was _ interested,  _ which he’s not, _ Skywalker is not only a commanding officer - he’s a Jedi.

(So why is it that he can’t meet Skywalker’s gaze?)

Nonetheless, Cody tries to put it behind him.

  
  
  


It doesn’t work.

  
  
  


“Cody?”

Cody straightens, as Skywalker turns the corner and starts at his presence. He’s just as surprised, but he’s also  _ very _ tired from a week-long assault.

“I’m sorry, sir,” he says. “I was just returning to my quarters.”

But, before he can hurry away, he hears a hesitant “wait”, and he freezes, slowly turning around.

“General Skywalker?” He asks. Skywalker sighs.

“Can we talk?” He asks.

And Cody… really doesn’t want to have this conversation.

“Yes sir,” he says. 

  
  
  


Neither sit, standing across from each other in the first closeable room they find.

“I’m sorry,” Skywalker says, after what feels like forever. “I took advantage of you.”

…what?

“I’m not sure I understand, sir,” Cody says. Skywalker just shakes his head.

“Force no,” he says. “If we’re having this conversation, you can and should call me Anakin, or at least not ‘sir’ or ‘General’, and at least until it’s over.”

“Alright,” Cody says, with a nod. “…Anakin.”

The name is strange but not unpleasant on his lips.

Anakin sighs.

“I took advantage of you, Cody,” he repeats. “Any time I think someone might care about me, I find a way of going too far, too fast, or both. And… I sprung all of that on you and then ran. The kiss. The question. I’m sorry.”

Cody takes a long moment to process what he’s hearing. Oh, Skywalke— _ Anakin’s _ recklessness isn’t a secret, a recklessness with other people would probably includes personal life.

And he’s never thought too hard about that night, but that had been his own attempted avoidance.

Failed, of course.

“I kissed back,” Cody says, simply. “Or maybe I kissed first - I can’t remember… I don’t know what that means for  _ you _ . And I was honest.”

“Oh,” Anakin says. “Well, I liked it.”

Oh.

This time, Cody knows exactly who kisses first.

And he doesn’t regret it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.


End file.
